howard



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. HOWARD.

HAND STAMP. I No. 449,076. Patented Mar. 24, 1891.

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K lgigon l I I W' BY WW ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

H. HOWARD.

- HAND STAMP.

No. 449,076. Patented Mar. 24,- 1891.

INVENTOR W/T/VE-SSES: 2

1,4] M. I By M W M U ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE, A

HENRY HOlVARD, OF BROOKEVILLE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMSONH. ALEXANDER, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. I

HAND-STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,076, dated March24, 189 1. Application filed July 1'7, 1890. Serial No. 359,051. (Nomodel.)

, To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HOWARD, of Brookeville, in the county ofMontgomery and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hand-Stamps; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is aside view printing-stamp for marking or canceling purposes. Fig. 2 is aplan view partly broken. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional viewthrough the cam-shaft and connected parts. Fig. 4 is a detail. Fig. 5 isa modification as to form of frame.

This invention is an improved hand or power stamp or machine forsimultaneously printing upon a letter or postal-card the name of placeof mailing and date and canceling the stamps, or for any other purposeto which ordinary hand-printing stamps are employed; and its objects areto provide a partly-automatic stamp-block holder whereon a number ofstamp-blocks may be mounted and which may be quickly shifted to printfrom either of such blocks; to removably secure such stamp-blocks to theholder and to accurately and positively guide the stamp-block andreciprocate it from the inking-pad to the point where the impression ismade, and to automatically return the holder and stamp-block toinkingposition and out of the way; and to these ends theinventionconsists, essentially, in an oscillatory stamp-block holdermounted upon a rotatable cam by which the holder is lifted andreciprocated back and forth, and in other novel details of constructionand combination of parts hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, letter A designates a revoluble shaftjournaled horizontally in proper bearings in side pieces of a frame IVof any suitable construction.

B designates a cam-disk secured eccentric.- ally to said shaft andhaving a peripheral channel I), in which is fitted loosely an annu- 50lus C, forming of my improved to the upper side of which are seen redvertical socket-pieces c c, that are arranged radially in relation tothe axis of the disk and annulus, but two socket-pieces being shown indrawings. To the lower side of annulus C are attached socket-pieces D(1, respectively, diametrically opposite sockets c 0. Piece D has twosockets D, attached to laterally-projecting pieces, while piece (1 hasbut a single socket. These are all provided wit-h setscrews d or withother devices for engaging the shanks of stamp-blocks S S s.

E designates an oscillating guide-rod that is suspended from and guidedby a pin 6, attached to an upstanding arm to of themain frame, whichrises above and curves toward shaft A. The upper end of rod E is slottedto engage the pin freely and allow the rod to oscillate transverselyabove the shaft and to reciprocate vertically. The lower end of the rodis adapted to engage in either of the socket-pieces c c. Below thestamp-holder and to the inside of shaftA is an inking-pad, with whichthe lowermost stamp-block attached to the holder is adapted to contactand receive the necessary supply of ink. \Yhen the guide-rod E isengaged with either of sockets c c, it brings ,such socket normally intovertical position,

and consequently the stamp-blocks attached So to the lower socket-piecediametrically opposite that engaged by rod E will be lowermost andcontact with the ink-pad. The disk is so mounted on the shaft that whenthe stamp-block is'on the pad a line drawn between the block and pin ewill about intersect the center or axis of the disk, and the parts willstand to the inner side of shaft A within the frame. It now shaft A berotated to throw the disk upward and outward, it will lift thestampholder and move it outwardly to the position indicated in thedrawings in Fig. 5. Rod E prevents the holder tn rning with the disk,but permits it to move the stamp-block from the ink-pad to the point 5wheretheimpression is to be made, the stampblock traveling through anearly semicircu .luar arc, first rising from the pad until it part ofthe stamp-block holder,

reaches a point beneath rod A, and'then descending into or toward theimpression plate or table. The half-revolution of shaft A is about allthat is necessary in taking an impression from the stamp. When the shaftis released it is turned back into normal position by springs,preferably as by the convolute spring F, which is coiled around one endof the shaft and is connected thereto and to the frame, so that it istensioued when the shaft is rotated forwardly and automatically returnsthe shaft to first position, thereby bringing the stamp-block back intocontact with the pad. For post-offices the double socket-piece isuseful, as the canceling-stamp block can be attached to one socket andthe time-stamp block to the other and impressions taken from both at asingle operation.

If it is desirable to shift theholder to print from another stamp-block,the rod E is disengaged from the socket-piece and the holder turned onthe disk until the socket-piece diametrically opposite the stamp desiredto be used is uppermost. Rod E is engaged therewith and the machine isready for operation, as described. This shifting of stamps can heobviously done with ease and rapidity. The stamp-blocks being removablysecured to the stamp-holder, they can be readily removed or interchangedor replaced by others, as desired.

Shaft A is operated to produce the impression by any suitable means, asshown. There is a crank-arm G attached to one end thereof. If desired, adisk or pulley might be secured to the end of the shaft and a cord runover the same to a treadle to be operated by foot, or instead ofsecuring the crank direct to the shaft a pinion might be placed on itsendand engaged by an oscillating segment or other gear attached to theframe and adapted when depressed slightly to cause a proper rotation ofthe shaft. The rod E might pass through a vertical slot in the arm toinstead of being attached, as shown, or'otherwise arranged, provided itwas allowed an oscillatory and reciprocating movement, as described.

The inking-pad is preferably mounted in a circular dish II, that iscentered on a pin or pivot I, and this dish has an upstanding peripheraltoothed flange, which is engaged by a reciprocating dog J, pivoted tothe lower end of an oscillating lever K, pivoted on a pin at one side ofthe frame below shaft A, and having its upper end engaged by a cam onsaid shaft, by which lever K is rocked when shaft A is rotated and dog Jreciprocated, so as to gradually rotate the ink-pad.

In front of shaft A and below the stampholder is a table or bed L, uponwhich the matter being stamped is laid to receive an impression. Thistable may be supported on springs, if desired, so that if the packagesare unusually thick they can be depressed to permit the stamp to make aclean impression thereon, and preferably the ink-pad is covered with astationary plate N, provided with an opening a at the proper point justlarge enough to admit the stamp-blocks from which impressions are tobetaken to contact with the ink-pad, while the main body of the pad isprotected from dust.

Any number of socket-pieces may be arranged on the holder that isdesirable and which its size will admit of. In the practical operationand construction of the stamp the guide-rod might be arranged at anyangle to the base and radial to the disk, and the positions of thesocket-pieces in relation to each other would be changed accordinglywithout affecting the functions of the rod, which are simply to preventrotation of the annulus on the disk and to shift the position of theannulus in relation to the disk. The holder being operated by acam-disk, as described, in making an impression will force thestampblock down directly and with a force varied only by the powerapplied to rotate shaft A, so that a clear impression will be produced.

Il avin g described my invention, I claim- 1. In a stamping-machine, arevoluble shaft, a stamp-pad, and an ink-pad all lying in substantiallyparallel planes, in combination with an eccentrically-mounted stamp soarranged that the revolution of the shaft causes the stamp to impingeboth upon the inking-pad and the stamp-pad, substantially as specified.

2. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a revoluble shaft, a stampeccentrlcally mounted thereon, and a guide-rod so arranged that when theshaft is revolved the stamp will impinge upon the inking-pad andstamping-pad, substantially as speei tied.

In a stamping-machine, a revoluble shaft carrying two or moreeccentrically-mounted socket-pieces, to which different stamps may beattached, substantially as described.

4. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a revoluble shaft, a stampeccentricall y mounted thereon at right angles thereto, and aninking-pad and mechanism whereby when the shaft is revolved to operatethe stamp the inking-pad is simultaneously revolved, so that the stampimpinges upon different portions of its surface at each movement,substantially as described.

5. In a stamping-machinc, the combination of a rotatable shaft and anink-pad with a stamp eccentrically mounted on said shaft and standing atright angles thereto and operated by the rotation thereof so as toalternately contact with the pad and make an im pression, and a guidefor said stamp, substantially as described.

0. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a horizontal rotatableshaft and horizontal ink-pad, with a stamp-holder eccentrically mountedon said shaft and moving in a vertical plane, and a guide therefor,substantially as set forth.

7. In a stamping-machine, the combination of a revoluble shaft, ink-padand stamp-pad lying in substantially parallel planes with a stamp-holdereccentrically mounted on said shaft and operated thereby so as toalternately contact the stamp with the stamp-pad and iuk'-pad,said stampmoving and lying in a plane at right angles to those of the shaft andpads, and a guide for said holder, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

8. The combination of the revoluble shaft and a disk eccentricallymounted thereon wit-h a stamp-holder consisting ofan annulus andsocket-pieces attached thereto, suspended on said disk, and operatedthereby, substantially as specified. Y

9. The combination of the revoluble shaft, the stamp-holder consistingof an annulus and diametrically-opposite socket-pieces attached thereto,and the eccentric for'operating said holder, with the movable rod forguiding said holder, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the revoluble shaft, a disk cccentrically mountedthereon, and a stamp -holder comprising an annulus, suspended on saiddisk, and socket-pieces attached to said annulus, with a guide-rodadapted to engage one of the socket-pieces, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

11. The combination of a stamp-holder having diametrically-oppositesocket-pieces,substantially as set forth, with a guide-rod thereforengaging an upper socket-piece, and the supporting and operating devicesfor said holder, as and for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination of the stamp-holder having diametrically-oppositesocket-piecesv adapted to be respectively engaged by a guide rod and toretain the stamp-blocks with the shaft and eccentric-disk for sustainingand swinging said holder and the guide-rod, all substantially asspecified.

13. The combination of the spring-controlled shaft, the stamp-holderhaving diametrically-opposite socket-pieces, and the reciprocating andoscillating guiderod therefor, with the devices for operating saidshaft, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of the shaft, the disk cccentrically mountedthereon, and the stampholder connected to and operated bysaid disk,consisting of an annulus having radial socketpieces attached thereto,for the purpose and substantially as described.

15. The combination of the shaft, .the disk cccentrically attachedthereto, and the stampholder comprising an annulus, and socketpiecesattached thereto, suspended from and operated by said disk, with theink-pad and impression-table, substantially as specified.

16. The combination of the shaft, the disk thereon, and the annulushaving diametrically-opposite socket-pieces with the movable guide-rod,the ink-pad, and impression-table, all substantially as specified.

17. The combination of the spring-controlled shaft, a disk cccentricallymounted thereon, an annulus surrounding said disk and havingsocket-pieces attached to its periphery to receive the stamp-blocks,with the ink-pad dish, the devices for revolving the same from theshaft, and the devices for iinparting rotatory movements to the shaft,substantially as described.

18. The combination of the springcontrolled shaft, a disk eccentricallymounted thereon, a stamp-holder consisting of an annulus mounted on saiddisk and having radially-projecting diametrically-opposite socketpiecesattached to its periphery, the guiderod adapted to engage an uppersocket-piece, an ink-pad, and an impression-table, all substantially asand for'the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

H. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

J 0s. S. MOORE, TAaLToN B. STABLER.

